I hear from people I know “in real life” that some of the “writing to
write” posts can be kind of painful to read, to hear about the struggle
in so much detail. And I can understand that, and I’m sorry, but it’s
therapeutic for me to work through it.

Would you be happy to hear I’ve withheld much more than I’ve posted?

I still feel good about these posts as practice, not only in writing but
in sharing the words. In most cases the final post goes out weeks after
the first draft, so that I’ve had time to get acquainted with the
awkwardness, and stand apart from it enough that I don’t feel like I’m
airing my rawest need.

It’s just words.

Words that mean something to me, and with which I’m trying to share
something, but they’re just words. They won’t cut me. (Which means I’m
still hiding out, keeping it down, playing it safe.)

And I’m about more than pain and suffering. I want to be funny, too. I
want you to smile, to feel better.